For over two years, the Age Well at Home pilot provided vital, free support services—like light housekeeping, transportation, and information/referral—to around 170 low-income seniors in Vernon through NexusBC Campbell River Mirror.
Many relied heavily on volunteer drivers for grocery trips or medical appointments; others depended on housekeeping for maintaining cleanliness amid strict living budgets.
With the federal program formally ending on August 31, 2025, tens of thousands of seniors nationwide—and hundreds at NexusBC alone—are facing a sudden, destabilizing loss of support Campbell River Mirror.
Locally, NexusBC is preparing to eliminate four full-time positions tied directly to the pilot. While two of those roles have been temporarily preserved through additional provincial funding, the remaining two are unfortunately being cut Campbell River Mirror.
The loss extends far beyond staff cuts. Seniors like Elspeth Manning—who share apartment buildings with neighbours on tight pensions—will now struggle to find affordable alternatives to services they’ve come to rely on Campbell River Mirror.
Paying someone $40/hour for housekeeping is simply out of reach for many. As one senior commented, “a bottle of Vitamin B is more affordable than the food with Vitamin B in it,” underscoring the gravity of living-cost trade-offs when basic assistance vanishes Campbell River Mirror.
This abrupt termination of a successful pilot has also frustrated community stakeholders. Manning lamented the decision, asking, “What’s the point of a pilot that serves so well, only to let it die?” Campbell River Mirror. Volunteer drivers like Sue Slater, who have made hundreds of trips, fear the real-world impacts on those unable to drive or access transport otherwise Campbell River Mirror.
Both federal and provincial politicians are now being pressed to respond. Vernon–Monashee MP Scott Anderson has said his office is exploring interim solutions and planning to question the federal government come September Campbell River Mirror.
Meanwhile, Shuswap MP Mel Arnold also intends to bring this issue to the House of Commons to advocate on behalf of seniors Campbell River Mirror.
Summary of Impacts
The program’s end spells:
- Service loss: Seniors now face reduced access to housekeeping, transport, and support.
- Financial strain: Low-income seniors must either pay high private service rates or forego critical help.
- Job loss: Local non-profits cutting roles decreases capacity for coordinating future initiatives.
- Community disruption: Volunteer-run programs and small-scale hubs lose stability.
- Policy pressure: There’s growing demand for both federal and provincial governments to restore, replace, or fund similar services.
This situation highlights a pressing issue: short-term pilots can offer immediate value, but without sustainable transitions and long-term funding commitments, the gains—even for small communities—may evaporate overnight. The lengths some seniors will go just to keep basic home support emphasizes the urgency of establishing dependable support infrastructure and avoiding gaps in service delivery.
